Yachting in Sardinia: 3,417 vessels recorded in 2026

A total of 3,417 unique recreational vessels were recorded in the waters of Gallura between June and September 2026—up 9.7% from 3,114 in 2025 and 27% from 2,689 in 2024. Among them, 311 superyachts were identified and profiled, with a combined estimated value of $19.93 billion and owners whose aggregate personal wealth is estimated at $1.463 trillion.

The figures come from the third edition of the study on international yachting in Gallura, conducted by the CIPNES Gallura–UniOlbia Research Centre under the supervision of Guido Piga, with the technical contribution of the CIPNES Digital Transition Unit. The research continues a collaboration launched three years ago with the Northern Sardinia Maritime Directorate in Olbia, which provided data collected through Pelagus, the system used by the Italian Coast Guard to monitor maritime traffic.

The analysis covers vessels equipped with active AIS and classified as pleasure craft, including tenders, RIBs, yachts and superyachts. Each vessel was identified through its MMSI number and counted only once over the entire four-month period, regardless of the number of passages, movements or stopovers recorded in Gallura’s waters.

This new analysis updates and completes the study presented at the Cannes Yachting Festival, which covered data from June to August.

June and September extend the yachting season

Growth was recorded in all four months analysed, but was particularly strong in June and September, which posted the highest percentage increases compared with 2025. This trend points to a stronger yachting presence beyond the traditional peak summer period.

In June 2026, 1,139 vessels were recorded, compared with 978 in 2025 and 825 in 2024. This represents an increase of 16.5% year on year and 38% compared with 2024.

In September, the number reached 988 vessels, up from 851 in 2025 and 725 in 2024. The increase was 16.1% over one year and 36.3% over two years.

The September figure is particularly significant: almost 1,000 AIS-equipped vessels were still present or transiting through the monitored waters, with a percentage increase higher than that recorded during the central summer months. The trend highlights Gallura’s potential to extend the international yachting season.

August exceeds 2,000 vessels, while July approaches 1,900

August remained the busiest month, with 2,039 vessels recorded in 2026, compared with 1,864 in 2025 and 1,626 in 2024. This represents growth of 9.4% year on year and 25.4% over two years.

In July, 1,870 vessels were recorded—11.8% more than the 1,672 registered in 2025 and 30.4% above the 1,434 recorded in 2024.

The monthly figures describe the distribution of yachting activity over time, but cannot be added together to calculate the total number of vessels. The same MMSI may appear in more than one month. The overall figure of 3,417 unique vessels was obtained after removing all duplications between June and September.

La Maddalena and Costa Smeralda lead, while Olbia and Cannigione grow

The geographical analysis confirms the central role of the La Maddalena archipelago and Costa Smeralda within international yachting routes, while also revealing widespread growth across the other maritime areas of Gallura.

La Maddalena recorded the highest number of MMSIs in 2026, with 3,166 vessels. It was followed by Costa Smeralda, with 2,794; Porto Rotondo, with 2,475; Santa Teresa and the Strait of Bonifacio, with 2,090; Tavolara, with 1,780; Olbia, with 1,446; and Cannigione, with 1,426.

Costa Smeralda retains a central position in the geography of recreational yachting, while the increase recorded in other areas confirms the growing importance of the Gulf of Arzachena, the Gulf of Olbia and the Tavolara area.

Cannigione posted the strongest annual growth, rising by 21.2% from 1,177 vessels in 2025 and by 42.9% from 998 in 2024.

In Olbia, the number increased from 1,249 to 1,446 vessels in one year, representing growth of 15.8%. Compared with the 957 vessels recorded in 2024, the increase reached 51.1%, the highest two-year growth rate among all the areas analysed.

Tavolara also recorded particularly strong growth, reaching 1,780 vessels—12.8% more than in 2025 and 47.8% above the 2024 figure.

Growth extended across the other monitored areas. Santa Teresa and the Strait of Bonifacio increased by 13.4% compared with 2025 and 26.9% compared with 2024; Porto Rotondo by 8.9% and 33% respectively; Costa Smeralda by 8.7% and 25.5%; and La Maddalena by 7.1% and 28.2%.

La Maddalena’s leading position must also be interpreted in light of its location along the main international yachting routes. The figures include both stationary vessels and vessels in transit. The same consideration applies to Santa Teresa and the Strait of Bonifacio, which experience substantial transit flows.

Figures for the individual areas cannot be added together: the same MMSI may cross several zones and be counted once in each of them.

311 superyachts identified, with an average length of 60.9 metres

Among the 3,417 recreational vessels recorded, the CIPNES Gallura–UniOlbia Research Centre identified and profiled 311 large yachts, classified in the study as superyachts and representing 9.1% of all the vessels observed.

These large recreational vessels are also frequently referred to as mega yachts in Italy, while superyacht is the term most widely used by the international yachting industry and media.

The profiling process reconstructed the vessels’ main characteristics, including length, shipyard, estimated value and publicly available information about their owners, including the countries and business sectors associated with them.

The profiled vessels have an average length of 60.9 metres and a median length of 56 metres.

The largest category comprises vessels between 40 and 59 metres, with 132 units representing 42.4% of the sample. They are followed by 104 superyachts measuring between 60 and 89 metres, accounting for 33.4%.

The sample also includes 41 vessels between 22 and 39 metres, 25 between 90 and 119 metres, and nine giga yachts measuring at least 120 metres.

Overall, 236 superyachts, or 75.9% of the sample, measure between 40 and 89 metres. A total of 270 vessels—86.8% of the sample—are at least 40 metres long.

The presence of the largest vessels is particularly significant: 138 yachts measure at least 60 metres, while 34 reach or exceed 90 metres, representing 10.9% of the sample.

The size classification adopted in the study begins at 22 metres and does not necessarily correspond to the 24-metre threshold frequently used by the international yachting industry to define a superyacht.

Made in Italy leads, with 112 superyachts built by Italian shipyards

Italy is the leading country of construction among the 311 yachts profiled in Gallura’s waters. Following the standardisation of shipyard names in the database, 112 vessels were found to have been built in Italy, representing 36% of the sample.

The Netherlands ranks second, with 104 superyachts and a 33.4% share, followed by Germany, with 33 vessels and 10.6%.

Together, these three countries built 249 of the 311 yachts analysed, accounting for 80.1% of the total. The result highlights the strength of European shipbuilding in the international large-yacht segment.

Among Italian manufacturers, Benetti leads with 26 superyachts. The shipyard is part of the Azimut|Benetti Group, which brings together Azimut Yachts and Benetti.

It is followed by Perini Navi, with 14 vessels, and Baglietto, Codecasa, Overmarine and Sanlorenzo, with seven superyachts each. CRN and Rossinavi are represented by five vessels each, Columbus by four, and Mondomarine and Wally by three each.

The Ferretti Group is represented by vessels from Ferretti Yachts, Pershing, Custom Line and Wally, accounting for a combined total of seven yachts.

CBI Navi, Cerri Cantieri Navali, ISA Yachts and Pershing are each represented by two vessels.

The sample also includes numerous other Italian manufacturers, each represented by one superyacht: AB Yachts, Admiral, C.N. Felszegi, Campanella, Cantiere delle Marche, Custom Line, Eurocraft, Extra Yachts, Ferretti, Logica Yachts, Maiora, Maxi Dolphin, Palumbo, Picchiotti, Solaris and Viareggio Superyachts.

Italy’s leading position reflects a highly diversified industrial ecosystem comprising major international groups, historic shipyards and specialist manufacturers active across the motor- and sailing-yacht segments.

Superyacht ownership: the United States ranks first, Italy second

The United States is the country most frequently associated with the ownership of the profiled superyachts, accounting for 57 vessels, or 18.3% of the sample.

Italy ranks second, with 38 superyachts and a 12.2% share, followed by the United Kingdom, with 28 vessels and 9%; Germany, with 19 and 6.1%; and the Netherlands, with 14 and 4.5%.

Together, the five leading countries are associated with 156 superyachts, representing 50.2% of the sample.

France, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland are each associated with ten yachts. They are followed by the United Arab Emirates with nine, Türkiye with eight, Canada and Monaco with seven each, and Spain, Mexico and Greece with six each.

This distribution confirms the international profile of the large-yacht fleet visiting Gallura, with a substantial presence of owners publicly associated with North America, Europe and the Gulf states.

The geographical attribution does not necessarily indicate the vessel’s flag, country of registration or the owner’s tax residence. It refers exclusively to the country publicly associated with ownership on the basis of the information used in the research.

A $19.93 billion superyacht fleet, with 57 vessels worth at least $100 million

The combined estimated value of the 311 profiled superyachts amounts to $19.93 billion, illustrating the substantial asset value of the large yachts visiting Gallura’s waters.

A total of 57 superyachts have an estimated value of at least $100 million, representing 18.3% of the profiled vessels. Together, they are valued at $11.94 billion, equivalent to approximately 59.9% of the total estimated value of the analysed fleet.

Within this category, 17 superyachts have an estimated value of at least $250 million.

The highest-valued vessels include Blue, estimated at $900 million, followed by Al Lusail and Luminance, at $500 million each; A+/Topaz and Al Mirqab, at $450 million each; and Flying Fox, with an estimated value of $400 million.

These figures are derived from publicly available sources and do not represent sale prices or certified asset valuations. They nevertheless provide an indication of the economic scale of the large yachts identified in Gallura’s waters.

Superyacht owners’ combined wealth estimated at $1.463 trillion

The profiling process also made it possible to examine the wealth associated with the individuals publicly identified as the owners of the superyachts.

The aggregate personal wealth associated with the owners of the 311 profiled vessels is estimated at $1.463 trillion. This figure is separate from the value of the yachts and refers to personal net-worth estimates reconstructed from the available sources.

To prevent double counting, the calculation was adjusted whenever the same owner was associated with more than one vessel.

Examples include Blue and A+/Topaz, associated with the same $150 billion fortune; Moonrise and Power Play, with $10 billion; Vava and Vava II, with $9 billion; and AMO and Caoz 14, with $10 billion. In each case, the owner’s wealth was counted only once.

The result does not represent the value of the vessels or an estimate of the resources directly available for investment in Sardinia. It instead indicates the financial scale of the international individuals publicly associated with the observed superyachts, providing further insight into the economic profile of high-end yachting in Gallura.

Methodology: Coast Guard data and international superyacht profiling

The study combines information collected through Pelagus, the Italian Coast Guard system, with publicly available data from leading specialist sources covering the international yachting industry.

MMSI numbers were used to identify the monitored recreational vessels and remove duplications across the four-month period. The dataset covers only vessels classified as pleasure craft and equipped with active AIS. It should therefore not be interpreted as a census of every recreational vessel present in Gallura.

The superyacht profiling process drew on information published by SuperYachtFan, including vessel names, shipyards, technical characteristics, estimated values and publicly attributed ownership.

Owners’ personal wealth estimates were sourced from Forbes, using an identification and deduplication procedure for individuals associated with more than one vessel.

By integrating these sources, the study combines the measurement of yachting flows with an analysis of the industrial, geographical and economic composition of the international large-yacht fleet visiting Gallura’s waters.